Captive ball for golf-practice



C. A. B. SCHNURR.

cAPnvE BALL FOR GOLF PRACHCE.

APPLICATlON FILED APR.19.19I8.

3 nfl/vento@ u. Schnur Patented Jan. 6, 192() Vzw/led w13 61H0CJlAItLIES A. B. SCHNURR, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

CAPTIVE BALL FOR GOLF-PRACTICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 6, 1920.

Application filed April 19, 1918. Serial No. 229,519.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. B. SGHNURR, a citizen of the UnitedStates, ,and a resident of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and y useful yImprovements inCaptive Balls for Golf-Practice, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description, whereby any one skilled in the art maymake and use the same.l

The invention relates to a device to be used for practising andperfecting the stroke and stance of a golf-player, and more particularlyto a tetheredf ball' and a means of arranging the tether to give anatural and perfect freedom of movement to the ball.

The object of the invention is to provide a device which may be used `bya golf-player for practice purposes to aid him in training the eye andsecuring accuracy in his strokes. More specifically, the object of theinvention is to provide a tethered ball which may be driven from the teeand which will take a natural and perfect line of flight, returninowithin easy reach of the player.

urther objects of the invention relative to the arrangement of theseveral elements and their securing means are hereinafter moreparticularly described and set forth in the claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is an illustrative v iew showing the tethered ball upon thetee.

Fig. 2 illustrates the ball near the end of its flight.

Fig. 3 illustrates the ball returned after its fli ht.

Fig 4 is a detail view illustrating the several elements of the tether.

Fig.4 5l is a sectional View through the ball with attachedbuffer-member. 1

Fig. 5a indicates a means of securing the buffer-member and tetheringcord..

Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing a modilied means of anchoring theattaching eye for the tethering cord.

Fig. 7 illustrates 'a preferred method of attaching the buffer-memberand tethering cord.

Fig. 8 illustrates the straight pull knot for tying in the tetheringcord.

Golf-players ordinarily, in entering a game of golf, find it desirableto warm up and ract'ice various strokes. Usually, this requires the useof a caddie and a great loss of time in returning the ball to the tee.

Captive golf balls are not new in the art as many devices have been usedfor providing practice for the player. These ordinarily, so far as knownto applicant, have consisted of balls tethered to pivoted pins in suchmanner that the player places the ball between himself and the'pin, withthe tether extending radially. Upon striking the ball, 1t revolves aboutthe pin or pivotal point of the tether and does not fly forward in thenatural liner of flight which the ball would take if untethered.

As hereinafter set forth, the present invention is designed tol permitthe player to observe the effect of his strokes upon the ball, said ballreturning to the player after it has been driven from the tee. Thedevice also permits the use of any of the strokes required underdifferent conditions and with or without a tee.

A niblick, mashy, brassy, or driver stroke may be played with equalfacility.

In the accompanying drawings, B, denotes the ball which may he of anydesired type and to which is secured an eye or fastening device l. This,as illustrated in Fig. 5, conslats of a screweye having a coarse pitchedthread which is screwed directly into the substance of the ball andsecures a firm hold therein. There is a countersunk opening 2, Y

which receives the eye and permits the attachment of a buffer member orstrap 3. The countersunk opening is sufliciently deep to permit.insertion of the eye within the peripheral surface of the ball. Thebuffer 3, is preferably formed of rawhide and is in the form of a loophaving perforations 4, 5, at its ends. It is important a bulfer-strap ofresilient, though tough and non-stretch- ,ing` material be employedinasmuch as the A preferred arrangement of the buffer-A strap andtethering loop is illustrated in Fig. 7. where the end of the loo l8,after being drawn through the perforations 9, 10, is passed back overthe cords 11, 12, Of the main loop and then passed over the ball and itsattached butler-strap 3. This provides a straight pull knot, asillustrated in the detail view of Fig. 7 the loop S, pulling snugly 5about the cords 1l, 12, and snugging about the ends of the buffer member3, above the perforations 9, 10.

In Fig. 8, there is illustrated a form of knot which is preferablyemployed in making the loop 7. This' is what might be termed a straightpull or leader7 knot and insures a maximum pull with minimum liabilityof breakage of the cord.

The opposite end of the cord from the l5 butter-strap is formed into aloop 13. which is formed with a leader knot. said loop be ing passedabout a cooperating loop 14. :toi-med at the end of an elastic strip 15.

The opposite end of the elastic strip 15, is provided with a loop 16,which passes through the eye 17, of the, tether-ing pin 1S.

The elastic loops 14, 16, are preferably secured by clips 1,9, of anywell known type.

It will be observed that there is a buffer- 25 strip or thong next tothe ball, for taking the blow of the ball; a comparatively long lighttetheriirg` cord, extending from said bufferthong to the elastic sectionl5; and a comparatively short elastic section.

The disposition of the buffer strips or thong, the tethering cord, andthe elastic medium is important. Where an attempt has been made to use aconnecting tether direct to a ball without the buffer-strip described`35 the device is extremely short-lived. inasmuch as the back throw ofthe ball on the ground cuts the tether. lVith the arrangement disclosed,the butter-strip or thong is passed through the attaching eye of theball and its end from a flexible attaching means for the tethering cordso that there are no cutting` strains imposed upon the cord.

The disposition of the elastic section at the opposite end Ot the tetherand secured to the tethering pin 18, also provides a resilientconnectingloop for the opposite end of' the tethering vcord and disposesthe somewhat heavy resilient section adjacent. to the tethering pin,where it will re-act to return the ball only after the lighter partshave taken their full flights.

This arrangement provides a very lightcord to be carried by the ball fora considerable distance, with a resilient member to gradually absorb theshock as the balltightens the cord, and providing a return spring whichwill bring the ball back within reach of the player.

In use, the tether-ing pin 1S. is forced into the ground and the ball iscarried back from the pin to the tee, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

Whether the player drives from the tee with his driver or uses a strokeemploying various other clubs, irons', etc., he faces the 65 ball atright angles to the line ofthe tether.

It follows that the line ot flight of the ball will be over thetethering pin rather than about it. and the ball will take its naturalline of flight as though not tethered. This gives the player practice insighting his ball and permits him to correct inaccuracies of his stroke.It is obvious that he can employ any of the strokes required with thedifferent clubs. This has been quite impossible with devices where theball has been driven about the tethering pin as, of course. there waspractically no natural flight permitted for the ball.

By utilizing a light cord of considerable length, a considerableflightmay be permitted to the ball. This may-be increased or diminishedas desired. Oi" course. the distance of flight will. be approximatelydouble the length of the tether. The elastic. inember may be of rubber,spring, or other elastic material. its whole function being to absorbthe shock due to the pull ot' the ball on the cord, to prevent breakingof the cord; and to give a sufficient back pull to cause the ball toroll back within reach of the user.

In Fig. G, there is illustrated a modied arrangement of eye for securinga buiferthong. In this case, the ball a, has a short shank l), with aneye c, and enlarged musl1- room end or anchor (l. molded directly intothe material of the ball. There is a countersunk opening e, about theeye to prevent chafing of the thong. It is, ot course, quit-e immaterialhow the eye is anchored in the ball so long as it is inserted with aholding 100 means sufiicient to withstand the pull of t-he tether.

lVhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A captive golf ball device consisting of a golf ball with means forattachment of a tether, a tether and a tethering piu, said tethercomprising a comparatively long section of light cord and acomparatively short section ot' resilient material flexibly' joined 110together, a thong connecting the light cord with the ball and theresilient material connecting the cord with the tethering pin, wherebythe ball may be. driven ina natural line of Hight across the tetheringpin through al distance substantially twice as long as the tether.

2. A captive golf ball device consisting of a ball, an eye having ashank secured in the ball, a recess in the yball to receive the eye` atethering pin, a tether connected with the eye and tethering pin andcomprising a thong engaging the eye, a cord engaging the thong, and aresilient member engaging the cord and tether-ing pin.

3. A captive goltl ball device consisting ot a ball, an eye lia-ving ashank secured inthe ball, a recess in the ball to receive the eye. athong passing through the eye and having its ends united with atethering cord, a 130 madera resilient member connected *with the ,Oppomsite end of the tethering cord, and a tethering pin connected with theresilient member.

4. ln a device of the character described, a ball having means forsecuring a tether, a thong connected with said means, a tethering cordconnected with said thong, a tetherng pin, and a resilient memberconnecting the tethering pin and tethering cord.

5. A tether for a captive golf ball consisting of a rawhide thong in theform of a loop having; perforations in its ends, a cord having a loopextending through said perforations and secured about the ends of thethong, an elastic member secured to the opposite end of said cord, atethering pin for holding said tether, and a 'golf ball having means forthe attachment thereto of the rawhide thong. 4

6. ln a device of the character described, a tether for a golf ballcomprising a rawhide thong section, a comparatively long cord member anda comparatively short resilient member, said members joined together byloops, said thong being attached to the golf ball and said resilientmember being at taehed to the tethering pin.

CHARLES A.. B. SCHNURR.

